Bonobos x The Monsieur: Guide to Menswear Spring 2013

Menswear in Spring time is a high point in every sartorialist’s calendar. It’s one of the few times where the less confident among us can explore the realms of sprezzetura without an iota of self-consciousness. While surfing my usual favourite web spots, I came across a well curated collection of spring summer 2013 looks that I felt hit all the right marks on trend. Ladies and gents, I’m proud to present the Bonobos inspired Monsieur’s Guide to Spring Menswear:

1. Add some eye-popping colour

The best way to add some left to last year’s autumnal suit is to add a little flash under a dark blazer. This spring 2013, pop a colour-charged dress shirt that sombre suit. Here, a Bonobos blue and turquoise suit with South Beach White travel jeans.

The Champlain Suit in Red with Ging Crosby shirt and Wolfeboro tie.

2. Pimp up your suit

Wearing a pastel suit is one of the harder things to pull off confidently post-Miami Vice; BUT, if you possess tons of confidence, rocking a pink suit is one of the most head turning pieces of haberdashery you can wear this spring. Unlike the first rule of spring- wearing a flashy shirt, the key to controlling a loud suit is the understated dress shirt, in this scenario, either wear a solid neutral tone shirt or go gingham.

3. Get cheeky

If splurging close to $500 on a pastel suit with only spring-summer ‘situational’ use, the same effect can be achieved by going with colourful chinos and paired with a solid dark blazer. Bonobos’s washed chinos in Redrums or Picklebacks are the perfect sartorial tool to make your existing wardrobe ‘pop’.

4. Tone control with a gingham shirt

Remember, if you’re wearing a punchy shirt to the office, it needs to be the only element of colour in your outfit. Otherwise, you risk a combination that senior management might deem “unprofessional”. Keep patterns simple and subtle, in this scenario, checks are the way to go- various hues on white.

5. Spring staple: Demins

The tee is awesome. Winter comes around and they’re a versatile undershirt for piling on the layers. In summer and spring, it keeps you cool in tropical conditions. Paired with stone washed denim jeans and you replicate the modern Steve McQueen iconic look. With darker jeans and a blazer, you till the balance towards ‘smart casual’ spring wear. Rule of thumb, the darker your denim to blazer ratio, the smarter the casual look.

6. Get shorty

Just because it’s hot and you’re in shorts, doesn’t mean you can’t look absolutely smashing. The key to wearing shorts is to keep it slightly above the knees (knee-length shorts are for the postal service and UPS men), keep it interesting (by tone or pattern) and to wear a contrast fitted shirt. NO SOCKS with your boat shoes or loafers please.

7. Get seriously toned

Just because your workplace is a little corporate doesn’t mean you can’t get a little playful with your choice of trousers. Bonobos weekday warrior pants are amazingly helpful in this respect, keeping your daily wardrobe selection simple with helpful day-of-the-week embroidery, remember to keep the ensemble interesting with the ging crosby shirts. Unsure how to pair with colours? Use this guide.

8. Spring for a contrast necktie

Hopefully, the ‘How to wear colour’ guide was useful, if not the visual guide from Bonobos’s spring 2013 guide is an excellent aid on how to pick both colour and pattern for a necktie. With a gingham shirt, go with a striped tie- if you must live dangerously, you can attempt a gingham tie on gingham shirt but only if they’re in contrasting shades.